 Whitty was born at 6 Lady Lane in Waterford City in May 1894, the son of Dr. Patrick Joseph Whitty.He was educated at St. Vincent's College, Castleknock, Dublin and trained as an accountant.On 24 February 1916 he was elected in the Commons by-election as MP for the constituency of North Louth, defeating a Healyite opponent Bernard Hamill by 2,299 votes to 1,810.